The Desert of Forbidden Art

The discovery of a treasure trove of banned Soviet art found in an almost totally ignored part of the world—the desert of Uzbekistan—is the subject of this fascinating documentary. At the center of the tale is Igor Savitsky (1915-1984), an archaeologist and failed artist who quit painting after being subjected to harsh critiques from his mentor. Luckily for the art world, Savitsky embarked on a lifelong quest to collect forbidden works of his countrymen—mainly pieces rescued from Soviet censorship after the revolution of 1917—eventually amassing more than 40,000 in all. For decades, his museum in the remote city of Nukus kept the prolific output of major artists far from the prying eyes of the KGB. Filmmakers Amanda Pope and Tchavdar Georgiev intercut archival footage with recollections by the children of some of the artists, while Ben Kingsley, Ed Asner, and Sally Field voice the letters and diaries of Savitsky and others. The film not only gives a clear sense of how communism influenced artistic content, but also tells a compelling story of sacrifice for the sake of expression. Also raised is an urgent question related to today's political instability in the area: namely, whether these precious artifacts might still fall prey to profiteers or Islamic fanatics. Shedding light on a remarkable, little-known story, this is highly recommended. [Note: this is also being sold on home video for $25 at www.desertofforbiddenart.com.] Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)